Internal combustion engine



J. E. SERST INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 8, l19:50

April l2, 1932.

Patented Apr. 12, 1932 PATENT OFFICE lJACQUES EGIDE SERST, OF LAEKEN-BBUSSELS, BELGIUM INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Application inea may 8,193o,seria1 No.

I have made application Jfor improvements in an internal combustion engine as follows: in Belgium No. 360,763, dated May 18, 1929; in Germany dated June 25, 1929.

This invention .has for its object to provide an internal combustion engine in which the exhaust is controlled by a movable cylinder head which is adapted to be moved by the pressure of exhaust gases to permit them to escape from the cylinder. According to the invention, said movable cylinder head bears upon a lixed point through the agency of an elbow joint which positively actuates it for closing the exhaust at the time of admission, securing it in its closed position during the admission, compression and expansion and then permitting it to re-open the exhaust under the pressure of exhaust gases. The .elbow joint Amay be operated by means of a cam or any other suitable device which has not to support the internal pressure in the cylinder, suc-h pressure being suported by the fixed bearingpoint of the elow joint. On the other hand, this method of operation enables the ports to be rapidly opened and closed, said ports being ,adapted to be arranged around the entire periphery of the cylinder. 3o The admission may be controlled in any suitable way but preferably by means of a sliding valve mounted in the cylinder head in such a way that it may be reciprocated by the action of the vacuum in the cylinder and a spring. In this case, the Cylinder head may be made of the shape of a sliding sleeve closed towards the outside and containing a second sleeve forming a sliding valve through the interior of which the combustible mixture is admitted into the cylinder.

One form of construction of this engine is illustrated'by way of example in the accompanying drawings, the views of which show in vertical section thetop part of a cylinder and the gearing parts of the latter.

Fig. 1 showsthe admission period,

Fig. 2 the compression period,

Fig. 3 the expansion period, and

Fig. 4 the exhaust period.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 1 designates the cylinder, 2 the water-jacket around the 450,826, and in Belgium May 18, 1929.

same and 3 the piston shown diagrammatically in dottedlines and the direction of movement of which is indicated each time by an arrow. The cylinder head1 is formed of a sleeve 4, closed towards the outside and 55x loosely fitted in the cylinder so that it will be adapted to slide therein for closing or opening, by means of its lower rim, ports 5 open to the exhaust conduits 6. At its upper part said sleeve 4 communicates permanently through ports 7 in its side wall and corresponding ports 8 in the cylinder with the admission conduits 9.

A second sleeve 10 closed towards the inside of the cylinder 1 and provided with ports @e 11 at its, lower part is fitted into the iirst mentioned sleeve and adapted to slide therein so that its ports llwill be covered or uncovered by the lower rim of the sleeve 4 to put the cylinder into communication with '70 the admission conduits 9 through the inte-` rior of the sleeve 10 andports 7 and 8. Recesses 12 are provided in the upper rim of this internal sleeve 10 opposite the ports 7 of the outer sleeve 4 so that these ports will 7'* not be obturated after the two sleeves are completely iitted into yeach other. l

A spring 13 compressed between the head 14 on a bolt 15 screwed centrally to the inner sleeve 10 and a flange 16 on a tube 17 secured centrally in the outer sleeve 4 has tendency to urge the sleeve 10 completely into the sleeve 4 and therefore hold the ports 11 closed. The tube 17 extends through the bottom of the sleeve 4 against which it bears by 85 means of a shoulder 18 and to which it is secured by means of a screw 19 having a collar 20 securing the tightness of the joint between the sleeve 4 and tube 17.

Extending from the top of the cylinder 1 are two vertical plates 22, (one of which is seen on the drawing) which are arranged on either side of the cylinder head and connected together at their upper parts by a brace 23 extending at right angles to the vertical axis of the cylinder. An elbow joint 24 the two arms of which are pivotally connected together at 25, connects said brace 23 to the sleeve 4 where its lower arm is pivotally connected by means of a pin 26 to the ear 21 of the screw 19 secured into the bottom of said sleeve.

Ifthe sleeve 4 is moved downwardly into the cylinder 1 in order to cover the exhaust ports 5 in the latter, the elbow joint 24 will be extended almost completely and the three pivot-pins 26, 25, and 23 thereof will be substantially alined with the vertical axis of the cylinder (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). Lugs 27 formed 0n one side of the arms of the elbow joint prevent the latter from being extended completely in order to enable it to folditsclf under the pressure of the sleeve 4. However, besides the exhaust period, the elbow joint is prevented from being folded by a cam 28 acting on its upper arm through the agency of a roller 29 attached by means of a journal 30 to said arm. Said cam 28 is carried by a camshaft 31 common to all the cylinders of the engine and rotating at half the speed of the crank shaft of the engine, from which it is actuated in any suitable way.

The engine operates as follows: Admlz'sszonp-(Fig. 1)-The exhaust ports are closed by the outer sleeve 4 which is moved into the cylinder by the action of the elbow joint 24 operated by the cam 28 and the vacuum produced in the cylinder by the downward movement of the'piston 3. At the same time, the pressure offresh gases contained in the inner space 31 inthe cylinder head and' admission conduits 9 will force the inner sleeve 10 out from the sleeve 4 and compress the spring 13. The ports 11 will be uncovered and admit such fresh gases into the cylinder. 0ompresszfon.-( Fig. 2)--T'he inner sleeve 10 is again moved into the outer sleeve 4 by the spring 13 and the pressure of gases compressed in the cylinder 1 by the piston 3, so

that the ports 11 will be closed. and the cylinder will be completely closed. The elbow joint held in its extended position by the cam 28 will transmit to the fixed bra-ce 23 substantially the total pressure exerted by the compressed gases on the closed cylinder head. A little portion only of such pressure will be supported by the cam 28, which owing to the fact that its cam surface is concentric to its axis of rotation, will not exert any stress on the elbow joint and simply act as a lock.

Expansion-(Fig 3).--The parts of the cylinder head are held in the same position as for the compression. The cam 28 continuing to hold the elbow joint extended so mitted to the brace 23. The compressed gases will be ignited by the spark plug 32 screwed into the wall of the cylinder 1 at a sufficient distance from the cylinder hea-d to permit the free movements of the sleeve 10 during the admission. As shown in the drawings, the

bottom of said sleeve 10 andthe piston head 3 may be arched in order to increase the space available for the electrodes of the spark plu-g without increasing the volume of the dead space.

E'haust.-(Fig. 4)-The cam 28 ceases to lock the elbow joint 24 which may be folded the pivot pin 26 on the axis of the cylinder 1 and avoids lateral reactions which may cause the sleeve 4 to be gripped in the cylinder.

Upon the escape of the exhaust gases through the ports 5, the sleeve 4 will again cover said ports, the elbow joint will again assume its extended position and the ports 11 in the sleeve 10 will be opened for admission, as above described.

Although the, embodiments above described by way of example are particularly advantageous from a standpoint of construction and operation, it will beobvious that the same may be modified without departing from the scope of the invention, for instance in utilizing the movable cylinder head only for the control of the exhaust and effecting the admission by means of a valve entirely independent, arranged at any suitable point of the cylinder.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, a movablepiston therein, exhaust and admission ports in 'the wall of the cylinder, a movable head slidably mounted in one end of the cylinder for controlling sai'd ports, a fixed point outside the cylinder against. which said movable head bears, and a movable member between said fixed point and movable cylinder head, and means whereby'the movement of said movable head for uncovering.the exhaust4 ports is produced by the pressure of burnt gases, substantially as set forth.

2. In an internal combustionengine, the combination with a cylinder, a piston movable therein, exhaust and admisslon ports in the wall of the cylinder, a movable head slidably mounted in one end of the cylinder for controlling said ports, a fixed point outside the cylinder against which said movable headv bears, and a movable member between said that the pressure of the gases will be transi xed pomt and movable head means for mechanically actuating said movable member between the fixed bearing point and movable cylinder head for the purpose of moving the,

latter to close the exhaust ports, and means whereby said movable head is moved for l the wall of the cylinder, a movable head slidably mounted in one end of the cylinder Y for controlling said ports, a fixed point outside the cylinder against which said movable head bears, an elbow jointl between said fixed point and movable cylinder head, means for actuating said elbow jointfor positively operating the movable head to close the exhaust ports, and means whereby said movable head is moved to open the exhaust ports by the ressure of burnt gases substantially as set orth. y

4.y In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, a piston movable therein exhaust and admission ports in the wall of the cylinder, a movable head slidably mounted in one end of the cylinder for controlling said ports, a fixed point outside the cylinder against which said movable head bears, an elbow oint between said fixed point and movable head, a rotary cam for positively operating the movable headA to close the exhaust ports, actuating said elbow joint, lugs formed on the arms of said elbow joint for limiting the extension thereof, and means whereby said movable head is moved to open the exhaust ports by the pressure of burnt gases, substantially as set forth.

5, In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, a piston movable therein, exhaust and admission ports in the wall of the cylinder, a movable head slidably mounted in one end of said cylinder for controlling said ports, a fixed point outside the cylinder against which said movable head bears, an elbow joint between said fixed point and movable head, a rotary cam extending said elbow joint for positively operating the movable head to close the exhaust ports, lugs formed on the arms of said elbow joint for limiting the extension thereof, and lmeans whereby said movable head is moved to open the exhaust ports by the pressure of burnt gases, substantially as set forth.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, a piston movable therein, exhaust and admission ports in the wall of the cylinder, aA movable head slidably mounted in one end of said cylinder controlling said ports, the inner space of said movable head communicating with the supply of fuel, a fixed point outside the cylinder against which said movable head bears, a movable member between said fixed point and movable head for the purpose of moving the latter to close the exhaustports, means whereby said movable head is moved for opening the exhaust ports bythe pressure of burnt gases, a slide valve in said movable head adapted to be moved in one direction by the vacuum in the cylinder to open the admission of fuel into the cylinder, and a spring 7. In an internal combustion engine, .the combination with a cylinder, a piston movable therein, exhaust and admission ports in the wall of the cylinder, a sleeve shaped movable head slidably mounted in one end ofthe cylinder. said sleeve shaped head being closed towards the outside and having its lower rim arranged to control the exhaust ports, whilst the inner space thereof communicates with fuel admitting conduits in the cylinder wall, a fixed point outside the cylinder against which said movable head bears, an elbow joint arranged between said fixed point and movable head and connected to the closed end of the latter, means for actuating said elbow joint for positively operating the movable head to close the exhaust ports, means whereby said movable head is .moved to open the exhaust ports by the pressure of burnt gases, a slide valve in said movable head ,adapted to be moved in one direction by the vacuum in the cylinder to open the admission of fuel into the cylinder, and a spring moving said slide valve in opposite direction to close the admission of fuel, substantially as set forth.

8. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with a cylinder, a piston movable therein and suitable exhaust and admission ports in the wall of said cylinder, of a slidably mounted sleeve in the open end of the cylinder, said sleeve being closed towards the outside, peripheral ports in said sleeve in permanent communication with the supply of fuel, a second sleeve slidable in the first named sleeve and closed at the end towards the interior of the cylinder, peripheral ports in said second sleeve adapted to be covered and uncovered by the lower' rim of the first sleeve upon the movement of the second sleeve with relation to the latter, a fixed point outside the cylinder against which said first sleeve bears, an elbow joint between said fixed point and first named sleeve and connected to the closed end of the latter to move said sleeve for closing the exhaust ports, and means whereby4 said sleeve is moved to open the exhaust ports by the pressure of burnt gases,substantially as set forth.

9. In an internal combustionk engine, the combination with a cylinder, a piston movable therein and suitable exhaust and admission ports in the wall of said cylinder, of a sleeve shaped hea-d slidably mounted in one end of the cylinder, said sleeve shaped head being closed towards the outside and having its lower rim arranged to control the exhaust ports, whilst the inner space thereof communicates with the fuel admitting conduits in the cylinder wall,l a fixed point outside the cylinder against which bears said sleeve shaped head, an elbow joint arranged between said fixed point and movable head and connected to the closed end of the latter,

ICT..

means for actuating said elbow joint for positively operating the movable head to close the exhaust ports, means whereby the movable head is moved to open the exhaust ports by the pressure of burnt gases, a slide valve in said movable head adapted to be moved in one direction by the vacuum in the cylinder, an axial tube attached to the movable head and a suitable spring housed in said tube for moving said slide valve in 0pposite direction to close the admission of fuel, substantially as set forth.

JACQUES EGIDE SERST. 

